1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner provided with a centrifugal force dust collection section which collects the dust by the centrifugal force by the cyclone action.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, this kind of centrifugal force dust collection section is structured as shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13. The structure will be described below.
As shown in the drawings, a dust collecting container 1 is formed cylindrically, and a suction air port 2 is provided on the lower side wall, and a guide plate 3 is provided on the inner wall of the suction air port 2. A cover body 4 is attached to the upper end opening of the dust collecting container 1 so that it can be opened and closed and is air tight, and a suction and exhaust air apparatus 5 is attached to the inner surface of the cover body 4.
The suction and exhaust air apparatus 5 is structured by a fan (not shown) and a motor (not shown) to drive the fan, and exhausts the air introduced from the suction air port 2 into the dust collecting container 1, from the exhaust air port 4a provided on the side surface of the cover body 4 and the exhaust air port 4b provided on the upper surface of the cover body 4.
A filter supporting body 6 is attached such that it surrounds the suction and exhaust air apparatus 5 on the inner surface of the cover body 4, and a large number of vent holes 6a are provided on its wall surface. An almost conical paper filter 7 is attached to the outer surface of the filter supporting body 6 such that the filter 7 surrounds the filter supporting body 6. A holder piece 8 holds the tip of the paper filter 7.
In the above structure, when a suction hose (not shown) is connected to the suction air port 2 of the dust collection container 1, and the suction and exhaust air apparatus 5 is operated, the direction of the air introduced from the suction air port 2 is changed, and as shown by an arrow, it becomes the eddy current along the inner periphery of the dust collection container 1, and rotates around the periphery of the paper filter 7, and by its centrifugal force by the cyclone action, the dust in the air is collected along the inner wall surface of the dust collection container 1, and the large dust is collected on the base portion of the dust collection container 1, and only the greatly fine dust adheres onto the paper filter 7.
In the above conventional structure, because the suction air port 2 is provided in the lower portion of the dust collection container 1, the air including the dust introduced from the suction air port 2 rotates along the inner peripheral surface of the dust collection container 1, and the dust is collected by the centrifugal force by the cyclone action, however, because the collected dust is accumulated on the lower portion of the dust collection container 1, the air from the suction air port 2 blows up the collected dust, and the dust adheres onto the overall filter 7, therefore, there is a problem that blinding is accelerated. Accordingly, it is structured in such a manner that the paper filter can be easily attached and replaced.
Further, it is not entirely considered that the blinding of the paper filter 7 is made minimum so that the draft resistance due to the blinding of the filter is reduced, and as the suction and exhaust air apparatus 5, it is the mandatory requirement to use the high input type motor so that the dust collection can be conducted even in the condition that the paper filter 7 is blinded. Therefore, there is also a problem that the size of the apparatus becomes large.
The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problems, and therefore an object of the present invention is to obtain a vacuum cleaner which is small in size and light in weight, and which can be operated by the low power consumption.
In order to attain the above object, the present invention is structured in such a manner that the dust on the surface to be cleaned is sucked by the suction port body on which the suction force of the electric blower generating the suction force is acted, and the dust from the suction port body is collected in the centrifugal force dust collection section, and the electric blower is composed of the fan section and the motor to drive the fan section, and the motor is a low input type motor.
According to the invention, by driving the fan section by the low input type motor, the flowing speed in the small-sized centrifugal force dust collection section can be made optimum, and while keeping the dust collection performance by the centrifugal force dust collection, the centrifugal force dust collection section is made small and light weight, and the vacuum cleaner of the low power consumption can be obtained.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner, comprising: an electric blower which generates the suction force; a suction port body on which the suction force of the electric blower acts and which sucks the dust on the surface to be cleaned; and the centrifugal force dust collection section which collects the dust from the suction port body, wherein the electric blower is structured by a fan section and a motor to drive the fan section, and the motor is a low input type motor, and the air including the dust on the surface to be cleaned sucked from the suction port body by the suction force of the electric blower, flows into the centrifugal force dust collection section, and centrifugal force-dust-collected by the cyclone action. Herein, by driving the fan section by the low input type motor, the flowing speed in the small-sized centrifugal force dust collection section can be made optimum, and while keeping the dust collection performance by the centrifugal force dust collection, the centrifugal force dust collection section is made small and light weight, and the vacuum cleaner of the low power consumption can be obtained. Further, when the motor is a low input type motor, the motor can be operated by the battery, and can be made cordless, thereby, the cleaning operability can be increased.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner, comprising: an electric blower to generate the suction force; a suction port body on which the suction force of the electric blower acts, and which sucks the dust on the surface to be cleaned; the centrifugal force dust collection section to collect the dust from the suction port body; and an exhaust air path to guide the exhaust air of the electric blower to the suction port body, wherein the electric blower is structured by a fan section and a motor to drive the fan section, and the motor is a low input type motor, and the air including the dust on the surface to be cleaned sucked from the suction port body by the suction force of the electric blower, flows into the centrifugal force dust collection section, and centrifugal force-dust-collected by the cyclone action. Herein, by driving the fan section by the low input type motor, the flowing speed in the small-sized centrifugal force dust collection section can be made optimum, and while keeping the dust collection performance in the centrifugal force dust collection, the vacuum cleaner of the low power consumption can be obtained, and by guiding the exhaust air of the electric blower to the suction port body through the exhaust air path, the dust on the surface to be cleaned can be blown up by the exhaust air of the electric blower, thereby, the dust collection performance can be more increased. Further, when the motor is a low input type motor, the motor can also be operated by the battery. Further, when the motor is a low input type motor, the heat generation of the motor can be suppressed lower, and specifically, in the exhaust air circulation type vacuum cleaner in which the exhaust air of the electric blower is sent to the suction port body, and the exhaust air blown off from the suction port body is sucked again by the electric blower, although the temperature of the exhaust air rises, however, by using the low input type motor, the temperature rise of the exhaust air can be suppressed.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the first or second aspect of the present invention, because the motor is a low input type motor of not larger than 300 W, the flowing speed in the centrifugal force dust collection section can be made optimum, thereby, while keeping the dust collection performance in the centrifugal force dust collection, the vacuum cleaner of the low power consumption can be obtained. Further, when the motor is a low input type motor of not larger than 300 W, the heat generation of the motor can be suppressed to low, and even when the motor is driven by the battery, in this input, the vacuum cleaner is appropriate for the practical use for its weight and size.
According to a forth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, because the motor is a low input type motor of not larger than 200 W, even in the exhaust air circulation type vacuum cleaner in which the exhaust air of the electric blower is sent to the suction port body, and the exhaust air blown off from the suction port body is sucked again by the electric blower, the temperature rise of the exhaust air can be suppressed. Specifically, in the vacuum cleaner of the type in which all of the exhaust air of the electric blower is circulated, that is, the exhaust air is not exhausted to the outside of the main body, it is experimentally confirmed that the upper limit, in which the deterioration of the electric blower due to the temperature rise of the exhaust air can be prevented, is a low input type motor of 200 W.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, there is further provided with a filter to remove the dust flowing into the electric blower from the centrifugal force dust collection section, and when the air including the dust sucked from the suction port body, flows into the centrifugal force dust collection section and centrifugal force-dust-collected by the cyclone action, the large dust is accumulated on the bottom portion of the centrifugal force dust collection section, and the small dust adheres to the filter. Thereby, the draft pressure loss of the filter can be made small for a long period of time, and the high dust collection performance can be obtained also by the electric blower composed of the low input type motor.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, the motor is a DC motor, and when the DC motor is used as a motor, because the copper loss is small, and the energy conversion rate is high, the low power consumption and low input type motor can be attained, and the size can be reduced, and further, in the case of the circulation type in which the exhaust air of the electric blower is guided to the suction port body through the exhaust air path, the motor can be cooled by a portion of the exhaust air, and the size can be more reduced.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, the motor is driven by a battery, and when the cleaning is conducted, the suction port body can be freely moved to the surface to be cleaned as the cordless cleaner, thereby, the operability can be increased, and just a little amount of cleaning can also conduct easily and simply, and because the motor is low power consumption and low input type motor, even when it is driven by the battery, the cleaning can be conducted for a long period of time.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect of the present invention, the battery can be charged, therefore, when the cleaning is conducted, the suction port body can be freely moved to the surface to be cleaned as the cordless cleaner, thereby, the operability can be increased, and just a little amount of cleaning can also conduct easily and simply, and because the motor is low power consumption and low input type motor, even when it is driven by the battery, the cleaning can be conducted for a long period of time, and further, when no cleaning is conducted, the battery is charged, therefore, even in the next cleaning, the cleaning operation time, that is, the driving continuance time of the electric blower can be secured.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the first to eighth aspects of the present invention, the suction air port to introduce the dust from the suction port body, and the exhaust air port to communicate with the suction side of the electric blower are provided in the centrifugal force dust collection section, and the filter is provided so as to cover the exhaust air port, and the air including the dust introduced from the suction air port into the centrifugal force dust collection section, is exhausted from the exhaust air port, after the dust is collected by the centrifugal force by the cyclone action in the centrifugal force dust collection section. At this time, the large dust is accumulated on the bottom portion of the centrifugal force dust collection section, and the small dust adheres to the filter provided so as to cover the exhaust air port, therefore, the draft pressure loss of the filter can be made small for a long period of time, and the high dust collection performance can be obtained.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth aspect of the present invention, the suction air port is provided on the side of the centrifugal force dust collection section, and the exhaust air port is provided above the centrifugal force dust collection section, therefore, the air including the dust introduced from the suction air port into the centrifugal force dust collection section, generates the eddy current in the centrifugal force dust collection section and is moved to the lower side, and the eddy current moved to the lower side rises from its central portion toward the upper side exhaust air port, that is, the cyclone action is generated. At this time, the large dust is accumulated on the bottom portion of the centrifugal force dust collection section, and the small dust adheres to the filter provided so as to cover the exhaust air port, therefore, the draft pressure loss of the filter can be made small for a long period of time, and the high dust collection performance can be obtained.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the ninth or tenth aspect of the present invention, the lower portion of the filter is positioned above the suction air port, and by the suction force of the electric blower, when the air including the dust introduced from the suction air port into the centrifugal force dust collection section, is formed into the eddy current along the inner periphery of the centrifugal force dust collection section, and rotated, the dust does not directly touch the filter, and the dust can be smoothly collected by the centrifugal force due to the cyclone action, thereby, the dust collection performance can be increased.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth or tenth aspect of the present invention, the lower end portion of the filter is positioned below the suction air port, and when the air including the dust introduced from the suction air port into the centrifugal force dust collection section by the suction force of the electric blower, is formed into the eddy current along the inner periphery of the centrifugal force dust collection section, and rotated, the dust directly touches the side surface of the filter in the vicinity of the suction air port, therefore, the filter can be cleaned thereby, and the dust collection performance can be increased.
According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth or tenth aspect of the present invention, the lower portion of the filter overlaps with one portion of the suction air port, and when the air including the dust introduced from the suction air port into the centrifugal force dust collection section by the suction force of the electric blower, is formed into the eddy current along the inner periphery of the centrifugal force dust collection section and rotated, the dust directly touches the side surface and the bottom surface of the filter in the vicinity of the suction air port, therefore, the filter can be cleaned thereby extending to the wide range, and the dust collection performance can be increased.
According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the first to eighth aspects of the present invention, the centrifugal force dust collection section is composed of the dust box with the bottom provided with the suction air port, and the cover body to cover the upper opening portion of the dust box and provided with the exhaust air port, and the upper opening portion is covered by the filter, and the dust from the suction port body is introduced from the suction air port into the dust box constituting the centrifugal force dust collection section, by the suction force of the electric blower, and the introduced the air including the dust is formed into the eddy current along the inner periphery of the dust box and rotated, and the dust is collected by the centrifugal force due to the cyclone action, and the large dust is accumulated on the bottom portion of the dust box, and the small dust adheres to the filter to cover the upper opening portion, therefore, the high dust collection performance can be obtained for a long period of time. Further, the content volume of the dust box is an amount in which large dust can be accumulated, and when the dust box is filled with the dust, only the dust box is taken off, and the dust can be abandoned. In this case, because the upper opening portion of the dust box is covered by the filter, that is sanitary.
According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the first to eighth aspects of the present invention, the centrifugal force dust collection section is composed of the dust box with the bottom provided with the suction air port, and the cover body to cover the upper opening portion of the dust box, and the cover body is provided with the exhaust air port, and the filter is provided on the cover body so as to cover the exhaust air port, and the dust from the suction port body is introduced from the suction air port into the dust box constituting the centrifugal force dust collection section, by the suction force of the electric blower, and the introduced the air including the dust is formed into the eddy current along the inner periphery of the dust box and rotated, and the dust is collected by the centrifugal force due to the cyclone action, and the large dust is accumulated on the bottom portion of the dust box, and the small dust adheres to the filter to cover the upper opening portion, therefore, the high dust collection performance can be obtained for a long period of time. Further, because the filter is provided on the cover body so as to cover the exhaust air port, the filter does not protrude into the dust box, therefore, the content volume of the dust box can be increased, the amount of the dust which can be accumulated, can be increased.
According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the first to eighth aspects of the present invention, the centrifugal force dust collection section is composed of the dust box with the bottom, and the cover body to cover the upper opening portion of the dust box, and the cover body is provided with the suction air port and the exhaust air port, and the filter is provided on the cover body so as to cover the exhaust air port, and the dust from the suction port body is introduced from the suction air port into the dust box constituting the centrifugal force dust collection section, by the suction force of the electric blower, and the introduced the air including the dust is formed into the eddy current along the inner periphery of the dust box and rotated, and the dust is collected by the centrifugal force due to the cyclone action, and the large dust is accumulated on the bottom portion of the dust box, and the small dust adheres to the filter to cover the upper opening portion, therefore, the high dust collection performance can be obtained for a long period of time. Further, when the dust box is filled with the dust, only the dust box is taken off, and the dust can be abandoned. In this case, because the suction air port and the exhaust air port are provided on the cover body, the opening portion such as the suction air port, or the exhaust air port is not necessary in the dust box. Accordingly, the dust can be accumulated to the upper opening portion, and when the dust is abandoned, because the dust box has no opening portion, the dust does not spill over.
According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth to fifteenth aspects of the present invention, the surface area of the filter is not smaller than the area of the exhaust air port, and the draft pressure loss can be made small for a long period of time, and the high dust collection performance can be obtained.
According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the first to seventeenth aspects of the present invention, since the rotating brush which is driven by the motor or the air turbine is disposed on the suction port body, the dusts can be mechanically scrapped up. As a result, the performance of collecting the dust on a carpet can be enhanced even by a low-input type electric blower, thereby being capable of downsizing the fan motor and the centrifugal force dust collection section.